Summer Auto Accidents in Massachusetts
Summer is a time of sunshine, beach days, and barbecues. Unfortunately, it is also a time of increased auto accidents in Massachusetts. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, August is the peak month every year for car accidents in the United States. While it may seem strange that the seemingly carefree days of this season come with such a high collision count, this is the result of a number of factors that summer itself brings.
1. An Increase in Traffic Volume
Summer is the vacation season and with that comes a far greater number of drivers on the road. Whether it’s taking long-distance road trips or just making a short trek to the local shoreline, the lure of the warm weather puts more people behind the wheel than any other time of year. The more congested the road becomes, the more likely it is that cars will collide.
2. An Increase in Inexperienced Drivers
Beyond the mere increase in the number of drivers on the road is the type of drivers that summertime brings. Teenagers are out of school, meaning that brand new, inexperienced drivers are out on the roads at all hours of the day and night. Additionally, with the increase in travel, many out-of-towners find themselves driving in new territory, places where they are not familiar with the lay of the land, the local traffic laws, or even the area’s general driving etiquette. Combine that with the frustration of experienced drivers dealing with these two factors and you have a recipe for potential collisions.
3. An Increase in Road Work
The warmer weather and extended daylight hours make summer the perfect season for road work to get done. Construction crews take advantage of this, amping up both the amount of work they do and the number of hours that they do it. An increase in lane closures and detours makes for both an increase in traffic and an increase in road rage, especially during rush hours. This leads to a great deal of rear-end collisions and accidents in general.
4. Heat-related Equipment Failure
Summer means heat, and heat puts undue stress on a vehicle in a number of ways. The constant run of the air conditioner means that the engine is working overtime while still trying to maintain a safe temperature itself. If a car’s tires are a bit worn, the heat may cause the air inside the tire to expand, potentially leading to a blowout. A combination of excessive heat and vibration on a car’s battery can cause it to generate more heat than it can use, leading it to overload and stop working completely. These and other factors can potentially end up causing a driver to lose control of the car, leaving the rest of the vehicles on the road vulnerable to it.
5. More Drivers on Two Wheels
Along with convertibles putting their tops down, summer is the time that motorcyclists and bicyclists put their two wheels back on the road. These vehicles are very vulnerable without the protection that a full car provides. If car drivers don’t maneuver cautiously with awareness that they’re sharing the road, it leads to even more of an increase in accidents.
Now that you’re aware of the things that cause more collisions in the summer, you can be better equipped to be as vigilant as you can in avoiding them. Accidents do happen, though, and, if you are in an auto accident, it’s important to have a good auto accident attorney on your side.
Personal Injury Lawyers Specializing in Auto Accident Injury Cases
Contact us at SKB Attorneys and we’ll help you get everything with your auto accident taken care of so you can go back to enjoying some summer fun.